Aristotle and an Aardvark Go to Washington: Understanding Political Doublespeak Through Philosophy and Jokes

Politics is the Shangri-La of comedy. Tom Cathcart and Daniel Klein are in top form in this rollicking - and revealing - analysis of political doublespeak, flimflam and the alternate realities that exist only in the minds of our modern Machiavelli's. With humor as well as an insight or two from Aristotle and his peers, our two favorite philosopher comedians parse the language of our elected (and court-appointed) officials. Who else could analyze Bill Clinton's famous, 'It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is?'?In this endlessly entertaining romp through popular pronouncements, readers learn to unravel the circuitous claptrap of politicos ranging from Caesar to Condoleezza Rice, Genghis Khan to Al Sharpton. They'll learn to identify tricks such as the Texas Sharpshooter Fallacy (Non Causa Pro Causa) and the Fallacy Fallacy or Argumentum ad Logicam (because while it's best to actually understand what the president is trying to say, knowing the Latin name it for it comes a close second).